The time is here for this year’s U.S. National Fly Fishing Championships.

The event will be headquartered in Cherokee, North Carolina. The dates for the championship event are May 19-22.

The 2011 U.S. National Fly Fishing Championship event is hosted by the North Carolina Fly Fishing Team, in partnership with the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indian Fish and Wildlife Management Department and the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce.

This is the first time the event has been in the southeast and May brings some of the best fishing in the region. The championship has 60 of the top fly fishermen from around the United States registered to compete and over 100 volunteers assisting with the event.

Spectators are welcome to watch the competition at one of the five fishing locations that include Calderwood Reservoir, Lower Nantahala River, Cherokee Trophy Waters of the Raven’s Fork River, Tuckaseegee River and Upper Nantahala River. Admission is free.

Competitors for the 2011 National Fly Fishing Championships were awarded an opportunity for competition in this national event based upon their placement at regional competitions, which are held at different locations around the country.

Paul Bourcq, Vice President of the N.C. Fly Fishing Team, has his team prepared for the tournament and said, “I’m looking forward to what is going to be a great competition. Right now we are having some of the best fishing in the mountains.”

Matt Pegg, Executive Director of the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce commented, “the people and businesses who helped us put the championships together have all been great. There has been a true partnership with everyone doing what they can to help make the event successful. And if success brings success, at the conclusion of this event we should be poised to make a bid at larger events, no matter if they are fishing related or not.”